Anyone a driving instructor?

[Debbie100]

Thinking of quitting my boring office job and becoming a driving instructor. I have always wanted to do it but have never have the funds available for the training, but now I have. So just wondered if any of you guys are one and what your daily routine is like?
Any tips appreciated, as this is quite a big decision.
x

[LisaM]

I am !!
My advice is to research it thoroughly. Don't opt for the first co you meet up with. Call as many organisations as you can and get quotes. Find out the following

* Does the overall price include unlimited training? (or you could run out of training hours and end up really out of pocket)
* Does the overall price include test fees? ( these are expensive and need to be thought about if it's not included)
* Will you be guaranteed a job with the school upon passing?
* How many hours teaching can you expect to recieve? (there's no point going through all the hard work to only get 10 hrs per week!)
* Once qualified what are the franchise fees? (sometimes this is very high, beware; you could find you have to realistically work 20 hours before you earn a penny!)
* Will you get a car? Can you buy your own?? ( you need to weigh up the pro's and con's)
* can you arrange your own diary? (some co's book your diary for you; total pain! as you end up working 8 teaching hrs each and every day.)

I have been a DSA ADI (car) for 3 yrs. I am franchised with Countywide Driving School based in Brighton but I work in Kent, Dover Folkestone and Deal areas. I work my own diary so I can ride when I want start when I want and finish when I want. I can also plan where I go for each lesson i.e minimal travelling between each lesson, thus saving fuel money.

I trained with C.Wide and passed all three phases first time (lucky me) the reality is that only 50% make it. I pay £39 per week franchise, I own my own car and pay my own bills, servicing ins, tax etc etc. Plus do my own tax ret's.
You can hire cars with dual controls for around £350-400 per month. Fully insured etc etc. I charge £18 per hr. I find in reality 6 hrs per day is more than enough as if you are teaching properly it is soooo tiring! 6 hrs teaching plus travelling works out an 8 hr day if you plan it right.
My training cost £1000 but didn't include unlimited training or tests. With C.wide now the training is aroung 1.6-2k. BSM or AA are a lot lot higher. With franchise fees aroung £200 per week with car.
It's a real ball game and I would hate to go through it all again! Just take time and research each co. If you don't like what you see trust your instict and walk on!....

I think I have covered the main points to think about.. should anything else pop up I'll re post x

[LisaM]

oh and Debbie... don't quit the boring office job til you've qualified!! People make this mistake all the time I did too and ended up 3 k in debt! oopsie x

[Gem & Spencer]

Hi, I'm also an ADI. I agree with everything Lisa M has said.
I trained with the instuctor college at a cost of £2000 not including test fees. but it did include my first licence. I left my job to work with BSM on a trainee licence which was a real gamble but paid off ok - thank god! The BSM franchise was £300 a week!! so almost as soon as i qualified i set up on my own - again a bit of a gamble but was definately worth it! I love the ability to completely choose when i work and how much. is a great job to be able to organise around horse commitments. I would definately say 6 hours teaching is enough although some days i will do abit more but then do less on another day to either have a late start or early finish.
i have found though that work can come in fits and starts so some weeks you'll be rushed off your feet and others you'll be sat twiddling your thumbs waiting for the phone to ring. I only went on my own though in April this year so still waiting for word to get round (and my yellow pages add to appear in the new edition being printed at the mo!)

[LisaM]

Hi Gem... You were lucky that you're experience with BSM was a good one. From what I gather round here it often goes pear shaped. You see a load of pink tickets from time to time and then they all disappear where they go onto fail part 3.
I was speaking to a guy who had left the army to become an ADI and was on a pink ticket with BSM and had failed his part 3 and was up for his final attempt. He was only getting 10-12 hrs work per week and wasn't even managing to pay his franchise fees. I felt so sorry for him.. He'd sold his own car and lost his oh over it. Financially he was wrecked. He failed his final attempt but he didn't even care as he'd had enough.
It does of course depend on the area as to how much work you recieve even when with a company.
Good luck going it alone. Have you had a check test yet? If not my advice would be to give your old trainer/mentor @ BSM a call and book a session before it.. It's amazing how you forget things learned in the part 3.

[Debbie100]

I do feel quite nervous taking the 'plunge', although I have to do something as my office job is getting me down. It all sounds very complicated, I have searched the internet and they all offer 'fantastic' training but obviously I have no experience who would be best. I did have a look at BSM and I have asked a few companies to send me out details. So with you experience what would you specifically look for before going with a company?

Thanks for the advise I really appreciate it.

x

[LisaM]

They will all offer pretty much the same type of deal, just different franchise fees and overall costs. I personally, would forget BSM, just my view! Before I started, whilst in the decision stage, I called my old ADI! He was a little shocked but being in the same area as me he was good to talk to... each area will vary. He warned me of BSM in my area as he started with them and only just made it!...
You just need to feel comfortable with the people you speak with. Otherwise you'll find you'll be scared to ask questions etc. Ask them if you can call some of their trainees and qualified adi's. They should oblige if not steer clear! That will mean they're worried about what their instructors may say!

What area are you in x?

[Debbie100]

I am in Preston, Lancashire

x

[LisaM]

I thought I'd ask as Countywide do provide training but not as far as Lancashire

If you get stuck feel free to pm me with any questions; I will do my best x

[Debbie100]

Thank you I really appreciate your advice, it is very helpful. Do you find you have enough time for horses? What sort of hours do you do?

[LisaM]

I do two jobs... tues wed and thurs I'm in an office... I like the variety!
Fri, sat and Mon I teach. I do 4 - 6 hours a day.. saturday's I usually do 3 or 4 hrs max.
I do have a lot of time for Hamish to be honest but my franchise fees are low so I don't have to work "I disagree" off to pay my way and still earn... I tend to get up at 8 ride Hamish first lesson at 11 (ish!) then work til 5 or 6.. get H in then generally do another one. If I'm going to a show or training day I may work earlier in the morning and finish earlier or visa versa..
Plus the day goes very very quickly.. once you get stuck into each lesson.
I have alos made a lot of friends and I find it so rewarding when I'm driving down the rd and see an ex pupil driving! *proud*

[LisaM]

*I disagree of* was mean't to be 'work my ss off' !! how funny I have not been sencored til now!!

[Gem & Spencer]

I actually trained with the instructor college and only used BSM as a means to an end - to get qualified! but I was shocked in the short space of time i was with them how many PDI's failed their part 3's and how many pupils i gained through their instructor leaving 'through personal reasons'! they were never told the real reason they left or that they were being taught by a PDI. i have not had a check test yet but am not looking forward to the letter dropping through the letter box. I left BSM on good terms so may give them a ring when the time comes. the problem with working for BSM was that you had to work a lot of hours to make it financially viable and although i was never really short of pupils (mainly due to the above situation with other PDI's) they were often all over the place with long distances to travel between, i had little control over my diary, worked till late most evenings and often went without lunch. not good for relations with partner or horse.
If working on a trainee licence you also have to be careful to make sure you try and teach in the way you need to in order to pass the exam, and don't pick up bad habits for instance just telling the pupil what they did wrong instead of using Q&A to make them understand what they did wrong and why it was wrong (that was my biggest hurdle!), especially as places like BSM just give you the car and let you get on with it, and dont really monitor your progress or teaching methods.
life is much more relaxed now i'm on my own and i feel my teaching is better as i'm less stressed. i would not go back to working in an office or working outdoors all year round (I have done both in the past). this job means you dont have to stare at the same four walls day in day out but you have a constantly changing view of the great outdoors but still with a comfy chair and climate control! also even the very worst lesson is only a maximum of 2 hours, wheras a bad day at the office will last the whole day or even the week! Don't know about you lisa but i find a day, even a long one, goes very quickly!
as for time for the horse i am lucky in that my sister helps out alot but i do find it easy to fit lessons around things ie if i need the vet or farrier out. also in winter i will start a bit later to give me time to go up to the yard first thing or take time off in the middle of the day so i can ride out in daylight. you will probably find the greatest demand for lessons is evenings anyway so it works out quite nicely.
i know a few people who trained with me at the IC who went on to work for Bill Plant - am not sure if he operates in your area (i'm yorkshire) but if he does he may be worth contacting.
dont get me wrong, the road to becoming a qualified ADI is a hard and long one but if you make it, it is worth it!
as lisa says, if you need any additional advice pm me.

[Gem & Spencer]

must have cross posted lisa - the days do just fly by!

[LisaM]

Gem... Try not to worry about the check test. Take time and pick an appropriate pupil then the 'lesson of the day'... If the lesson of the day goes t!ts up then just change it.. people get poor gradings for inflexibility when being check tested.
My check test was hellish! Turning r into side rd, pupil stalled and bunny hopped into alomst the middle of the rd and stopped all the traffic *red faced*! Afetrwards, Derek, my senior examiner asked how it went; I said 'it was awful!' he was quite forgiving and said I dealt with things well and explained what went wrong etc.. I got a 4.. My second check test must be looming... come to think of it!
It's good that you left BSM on good terms.. they'll come in useful ! x